Page 58 of Fix Them Up
Until Liam opened his mouth.
‘Losing Mum was the worst day of my life. But sometimes, I wonder if the aftermath was worse. I was the eldest. So naturally, I took everything on. Dad was a wreck because he’d lost the love of his life. My brother was little, and he wanted his mum back. So, I became that for everyone. I started making breakfast. I got Ren ready for school. I helped him with his homework. I did everything to keep the ship afloat.’
My heart hurt for that little kid with too much responsibility.
‘I see that in you.’ I glanced up at him.
‘See what?’ He had an earnest expression, eager to hear what I had to say.
I took a deep breath. ‘Well, how many favours have you done since the committee meeting?’
‘Well, not that many –’ Liam kicked a piece of dirt from his boots.
‘Come on,’ I said. ‘Cough it up.’
Liam coughed. ‘Seven or eight.’
My eyes bugged. ‘Are you joking? For free?’
Liam shrugged. ‘Little things, really. Fixing a loo. Sealing a shower. Fitting some cabinets. I’d managed to keep them at bay since I took over from Dad. I had an excuse – new management. We’re doing things differently. But when I stood up and volunteered to help you…’ He petered off, then glanced up at me. ‘Well, it was an open invitation.’
Guilt thrummed through me. I’d caused this.
‘I’m sorry. It’s my fault.’
‘It’s not your fault. I could have said no. But I didn’t.’ Liam shrugged. ‘A family trait, apparently.’ He glanced up, his eyes soft. ‘And I couldn’t say no to you.’
My heart jumped, but I kept my voice even.
‘You could have.’
‘Trust me, I couldn’t.’
‘Well, you need some boundaries, Mister!’ I demanded, my cheeks burned from his words. I needed to change the tone, or we were heading somewhere else. I counted on my fingers. ‘You worry about Jack far too much. You spend a huge chunk of your day making sure Freddie gets the proper training.’ I cocked an eyebrow. ‘You volunteer at the club with the first bat of Sandra’s eyelashes. Then, you come home and cook’ – I pointed a finger – ‘and I know you go to the effort to make extra for me, and then make everyone lunch too.’
Liam’s lips twitched. ‘Are you telling me off, Red?’
‘Yes!’ I rolled my eyes. ‘You even fold your tea towels in a specific way.’
I’d watched in morbid fascination from the annexe as Liam folded and tucked his tea towels so that they looked like pretty little packages.
‘You’ve been watching very closely.’ Liam took a step forward, his eyes flicking all over my face.
I flushed. ‘Don’t change the subject.’
Liam ran his hands through his hair, which had grown long again, as it had at the funeral. It was floppy, making him look like a nineties heartthrob – a blue-collar Hugh Grant.
‘I’m trying not to take on so much. Therapy helped. But it’s still hard to say no. That’s why I get so angry at my dad sometimes. I’m trying to put some… boundaries up. And he steamrolls over them. He’d have me burn out rather than say no. And half the time, it’s not greed or business. It’s because he wants to help.’
‘I’m sorry for shouting. And I’m sorry if I became another one of those burdens.’
He looked at me then, really looked at me. His usually guarded features were strangely open.
‘I didn’t mean it like that, Kat. You aren’t a burden.’
I shrugged. ‘I feel like one.’
‘Trust me. You’re not. And the shouting was kind of hot.’
